CHICAGO - AUG. 10, 2008 (RPB) - Arson nearly destroyed a major theater construction project, just weeks from its hoped-for opening.
Gang graffiti on the walls
An athletic shoe print on the inside of one of the rear doors. A fire in the middle of what will become the main seating area of the theater.
A can of beer. All suspicious items in the midst of what was obviously arson in the greatest project yet to be accomplished on the run down W. Morse Avenue in Rogers Park.
As I was getting dressed just after 3:00 a.m., I heard confusion on the police scanner over the address of the fire. I ran over to the Morse Theatre. I could smell smoke as I left home three blocks away, sirens screaming in the background.
Arriving on the scene, there were six fire trucks on the street and one in the alley west of the theater. The police made no attempt to secure what was obviously a crime scene, and it was not until 4:30 a.m. that a cop put a thin yellow across the three open rear doors. He left immediately, leaving nobody to stand guard, evidence within easy reach of anybody walking by. I could see gang graffiti scrawled on a rear wall and door, as well as on the rim of the mezzanine. A fire official on the scene later said that the graffiti looked like authentic gang tagging.
Police crime scene tape covers the back of the building to preserve the evidence. City of Chicago and State of Illinois Fire Investigators are on scene also. Footprints and gang tags were also left behind.
Theater owner-partner Andy McGhee said that the kitchen and restaurant were not entered or damaged directly. However, Mr. McGhee said the heavy smoke from the intense but short lived fire caused "some damage" throughout the theater. The vandals also broke two glass windows on the sound booth on the second level.
The Morse Theatre was hoping to open in mid-September. Mr. McGhee said that this will
"put us back a month or two, but we'll continue on. This won't stop us."
At 6:30 a.m., Mr. McGhee was still speaking with the arson investigation team on the scene. Hookers walked by with their johns. A crack whore sat motionless on a front stoop half a block away.
49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore did not bother to show up. Neither did 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman David Fagus.
CHICAGO - AUG. 10, 2008 (RPB) - Arson nearly destroyed a major theater construction project, just weeks from its hoped-for opening.
Gang graffiti on the walls
Arriving on the scene, there were six fire trucks on the street and one in the alley west of the theater. The police made no attempt to secure what was obviously a crime scene, and it was not until 4:30 a.m. that a cop put a thin yellow across the three open rear doors. He left immediately, leaving nobody to stand guard, evidence within easy reach of anybody walking by. I could see gang graffiti scrawled on a rear wall and door, as well as on the rim of the mezzanine. A fire official on the scene later said that the graffiti looked like authentic gang tagging.
Police crime scene tape covers the back of the building to preserve the evidence. City of Chicago and State of Illinois Fire Investigators are on scene also. Footprints and gang tags were also left behind.
Theater owner-partner Andy McGhee said that the kitchen and restaurant were not entered or damaged directly. However, Mr. McGhee said the heavy smoke from the intense but short lived fire caused "some damage" throughout the theater. The vandals also broke two glass windows on the sound booth on the second level.
The Morse Theatre was hoping to open in mid-September. Mr. McGhee said that this will "put us back a month or two, but we'll continue on. This won't stop us."
At 6:30 a.m., Mr. McGhee was still speaking with the arson investigation team on the scene. Hookers walked by with their johns. A crack whore sat motionless on a front stoop half a block away.
49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore did not bother to show up. Neither did 49th Ward Democrat Committeeman David Fagus.
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.